Steam sales used to be a big event. Logging in every day to check the flash sales and peruse the deep discounts was exciting and frequently rewarding. My friends and I would fill our carts with every co-op game under $5 we could find and spend the rest of Christmas break sampling our haul. In the void between Blockbuster closing and Game Pass arriving, it was the only guilt-free way to get new games sight unseen. I loved shopping the Steam sale just as much as playing the games I bought. Maybe more.
But Steam sales have lost their luster over the years. It was all downhill once the flash sales went away, and in the last decade I’ve ignored more Steal sales than I’ve participated in. Part of the problem is that I’ve built up a substantial library of games over the last 20 years, so there are fewer gems to dig up, but it also just seems like Steam sales don’t have that many exciting deals anymore.
Don’t Miss This Year’s Steam Winter Sale
This year’s Steam Winter Sale is different. While the Winter Sale has traditionally been the more reserved version of the Steam Summer Sale, I’m nonetheless pretty impressed by the discounts on offer this year. The sale is still on until January 2, so if you haven’t browsed the store page yet there’s still time.
The first thing that caught my eye is the Featured Deep Discounts page, which you’ll find just under the regular featured titles at the top of the store page. Everything here is 90 to 95 percent off, and while you won’t find any 2025 games here, there’s still a ton of classics and newer triple-A games on offer.
Prey is $3. Buy Prey for $3. Spend $3 and play Prey. Play Prey.
There’s a lot of variety. 2019’s Metro Exodus is down to $3, as is Titanfall 2, if you somehow haven’t played it yet. But if you’re not into shooters you can also get Telltales’ Tales From The Borderlands, Batman: Arkham Origins, and Firewatch for just $2. Baldur’s Gate 3 fans may want to grab Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition for $4, and if you haven’t played Vermintide 2, you’d be a fool not to grab it for just $3.
These aren’t all of the absurdly deep discounts though, scroll down a little further on the store page until you see the section for games under $10, click on See More, and you’ll find the entire list of the Winter Sale’s best deals.
You can get some of the greatest games of all time for pennies on the dollar right now. The Witcher 3 is $8. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is $4.79. XCOM 2 is $3. Rise of the Tomb Raider is $4.50. I am so jealous of all the kids on winter break right now getting ready to spend the gift cards they got from Grandma and Grandpa. For under $50 you can get a dozen incredible games.
Buy A Terrible Game In The Winter Sale
You can get some pretty terrible ones too, which is arguably an even better way to approach the Winter Sale. Civilization 6 is an incredible deal at $3, but it was an incredible deal at $60 too. You know what’s actually worth $3? Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. And hey, guess what?
I never would have bought Suicide Squad at full price, or half price, or even quarter price, but I can pay $3 for a game I probably won’t even like. It’s worth it just to see what it’s all about, and if I can convince a few friends to waste $3 too, the more the merrier.
I’m picking up a bunch of mediocre stuff in the sale. Mad Max is only $3, Beyond: Two Souls is only $5, Outlast 2 is down to $4.49, and Mirror’s Edge is just $2. These are prices I’d be willing to pay for games I didn’t care enough to play when they were new, which is exactly what the Steam sale should be about.
If you can’t find something you’ll like (or at least play) in the Steam Winter Sale, you’re just not looking hard enough. This is the best Steam sale in years, and it’s giving me a nice big backlog to kick off 2025.
